Home > Patriot WR Wes Welker named NFL Network's 50th best player in the league

Patriot WR Wes Welker named NFL Network's 50th best player in the league

Ian Rapoport Sunday, June 05, 2011

First, it was Patriots LB Jerod Mayo in the NFL Network's Top 100 list voted on by the players. And now, a teammate has joined him.

Patriots WR Wes Welker, the All-Pro slot star, was named as the 50th best player in the league by his peers. Check out the video.

The player who made 86 catches for 484 yards and seven touchdowns last season did so after coming back quickly from an ACL tear. He had eclipsed 100 catches per year in each of the previous three seasons. Honoring Welker was Bills coach Chan Gailey.

"People think he's just an underneath threat," Gailey said, "but he gets it in so many different ways. He can get it on the quick screen. Short in-routes. Short out-routes. Double juke route. He can get down the field in the seam. People don't probably give Wes enough credit for his down-the-field stuff because he is so known for the underneath."

Gailey talked about Welker's supreme understanding of the game and how he always seems to create some space. It was one example of the praise he offered: "If he gets a half-step, that's all he needs."

Good stuff from Gailey... Three more Patriots to go with 40 players left.